Chromatic Daring

Trio and keyboard sonatasby Charles Avison -
heard byROBERT ANDERSON

'... a eupeptic sense of well-being ...'

It is difficult to approach Newcastle across the Tyne without being enchanted by the soaring corona that dominates the cathedral of St Nicholas. Not yet the seat of a bishop in Avison's day, it was the town's largest church, where as organist he spent much of his working life. He had studied in London under Geminiani, who was in turn a pupil of Corelli. Avison was familiar not only with Italian music; he took in his stride also the latest products of Rameau and C P E Bach, both of whom he judged superior to Handel...